The SchemingMind forums are discussion boards available for all members. There are some generally available forums, every team is also granted an internal forum only for its members.
Using the forums
Reading
The main SchemingMind forum page (available from the main menu as Community/Forum) displays the list of all forums available for you. For every forum there is a name, short description and some extra info.
Click the forum you would like to visit. You will be shown the list of discussion threads. The list of threads is ordered according to the last activity (so the threads which were recently posted to are presented on top). The threads which do not fill onto the first page can be reached using navigation links on the very bottom (numbers 1, 2, 3, ... below Page 1 of ... label).
Click the thread to see the actual messages. If the thread is long, you will see the most recent part of the discussion, to navigate back use the same page number links in the right-down corner.
Posting
To add a new message to the existing thread, just scroll below the last message in it, click Add reply to this topic link and write your message. Please, do this only if your message is in fact related to this thread (you are replying to somebody, adding some new info to the existing discussion, etc).
To start the new thread select Start a new topic link. It is available in both windows mentioned above (thread list and thread discussion). Remember about giving a thread good title, it will help others to decide whether to read it, or not.
Searching
To search the forum, use the text box on the main forum page.
Subscribing
To be notified about new posts on some forum, one must subscribe to it. To achieve this, one should visit the main forum page, and click on "Follow this forum" switch (in the row of the forum one wants to subscribe to). From then on, whenever a new message is posted to that forum, the messages notification menu (at the top right of every page) will be highlighted.
Unsubscribing works the same way, click the switch to off, and the forum will no longer be monitored.
Posting to forums does not require any subscription, the only purpose of subscribing to a forum is to be notified about new posts.
To remove the notification, one must click the Mark all posts as read link on the bottom of the individual forum page (or, to mark all forums read, on the bottom of forum list).
If you want to mark forum posts as read automatically when you view the page, go to your Personal Preferences and activate "Automatically mark forum posts as read when I view them" (Under the "Notifications" tab).
Avatars (Posters' Images)
Every user can set an avatar - this is a small image which is shown by your name on forum posts and private messages; you can upload your avatar from the "Edit my Profile" page (but, of course, please respect common standards of decency).
Forum Posting Tips and Tricks
There are a few special clauses, which let one format forum posts, embed game diagrams, hide some text etc. (these tips also apply to private messages sent to other members).
Embedding Diagrams
To embed a game diagram within a forum post, one must include a FEN line. For example if you write:
- The game below ended in a draw. Could black win it? If so, what is the best plan?
the post would contain the pretty diagram. Most chess programs are able to export game positions as FEN lines.
Hints
The text embedded within
tags is initially hidden behind a Hint link. Members reading the post have to click on the word Hint to see the hidden text. For example you can write
The puzzle solution: Nxe6+! fxe6 Rd8#
to hide the puzzle solution.
Rich Text
You can add quotes, text formatting (italic, bold, etc.), and add hyperlinks, using the editor.
YouTube Videos
Links to videos on YouTube will be converted to embedded videos in the forum; no special tags are neccessary.
Book Discussions
If you wish to discuss an interesting chess book, you can create a special thread dedicated to this book. Such threads are distinguished by the special book icon on the list, also the book cover and basic info about the book are posted on the beginning of the thread.
To create such thread, use the "Book" tab on the "New Thread" page.
Polls
Polls are special forum threads, where people can not only discuss, but also cast votes.
Purpose of Selected Forums
In most cases the purpose of the forum is self-evident, according to the forum name and description. Below remarks regarding a few forums which deserve additional comment.
New Chess Variants
New Chess Variants is where we test out all new variants that haven't yet been programmed. To play, read the rules, post your interest, and start a game by embedding a FEN. All the variants on SM started here.
Mornington Crescent
Mornington Crescent is by far one of the hardest games to understand. The first rule is you are not allowed to tell anyone the rules.
The second rule is this: You must be the first to get to Mornington Crescent (following the game parameters).
That's just about all I'm allowed to say on this one...